How Much Is A Male Calico Going For?

breellablue

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
394
Purraise
1
Location
Syracuse, NY
Yes, I said MALE CALICO. The veterinarian confirmed it. Today at the spay/neuter clinic I'm working with he had a gentleman bring in a male calico, about 4 months old. I'm getting photos of him tonight, but we want to know what a male calico goes for to a breeder if he is not sterile.
 

sandtigress

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 26, 2005
Messages
2,597
Purraise
4
Location
Texas
If he's not already a purebred cat, then he would go for what any moggy would. Even if he is a purebred cat, just about every male calico is sterile, because males can only be calico if he has a particular genetic abnormality. Its very rare that they are fertile.

In other words, male calicos aren't really worth more than any other cat, though of course all cats are priceless. ;-)
 

mews2much

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
13,424
Purraise
27
Location
Central Valley,California
They are not worth anything.
My Coco had 2 male calicos.
All the breeders I know will not buy them.
They are not good to breed even if not sterile.
 

ut0pia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
5,120
Purraise
34
Male calicos can rarely reproduce, even if they are not neutered ...it is because they have a genetic disorder, instead of XY their sex chromosomes are XXY. It does not make them sick in any way, they are as healthy as any other cat with XY chromosomes, but it is a disorder nonetheless. I am not 100% sure that they are sterile, but I know the same disorder in humans (in humans it's called Klinefelter's syndrome) results in sterility. But regardless, even if he IS able to reproduce, the next generation will not result in any male calicos, there may be female calicos though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

breellablue

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
394
Purraise
1
Location
Syracuse, NY
Thank you. I knew about xxy but the people above me (my mother in law) needed to hear it from other cat people.

I can't wait to meet him though-- he's so rare he's just a cut cute-er than the rest.
 

wellingtoncats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 17, 2003
Messages
36,207
Purraise
24
Location
Wellington City, NZ
They're not really that rare anymore. Especially with the internet we see more and more cases. It's still fun to see though but yup spayed/neutered is the way to go. As a breeder I wouldn't buy a moggy even if it was a purple spotted green tabby
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
If this is not a purebred cat, he should be neutered and never bred - even to test if he can breed. Male calicos are rare but almost all of them are sterile.

I know a rex breeder that has a few male calicos - but these are show quality cats - not just ones to breed cause they are calicos.

They really are not worth any more then any other cat. Male calicos either are gentically a black & white cat or a red & white cat - they cannot give both colors to offspring like their female sister calicos - so they are not worth any more.
 

calico2222

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 9, 2004
Messages
7,731
Purraise
41
Location
Over the river and through the woods...
Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

They're not really that rare anymore. Especially with the internet we see more and more cases. It's still fun to see though but yup spayed/neutered is the way to go. As a breeder I wouldn't buy a moggy even if it was a purple spotted green tabby
Now, a purple spotted green tabby I may just have to buy, just because people wouldn't believe me!
(sorry...couldn't resist!)
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
SOME people might pay something for a male calico as a pet, just for the novelty of it.....but only if neutered. Nobody will want a pet tomcat! And, as said already, he's no use a breeding cat. And I doubt anybody will pay very much. But it will probably be easier to adopt him out.
 

nekochan

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Messages
2,760
Purraise
22
Location
Chicago, IL
A male calico is useless in a breeding program. Most are XXY and sterile.

The few that are not sterile are usually chimeras meaning they resulted from a fusion of a red-coated embryo and a black-coated embryo, and will only pass on either red or black coat color to their offspring not both.
So as far as breeding is concerned, he is equal to a regular red or black male DSH (depending on whether their testes contain the red gene or the black gene).
 

trillcat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
1,738
Purraise
2
Location
Wisconsin
I hate this thread.
Put money value on your cat, I hate it and will never understand it.
 

ut0pia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
5,120
Purraise
34
Originally Posted by Trillcat

I hate this thread.
Put money value on your cat, I hate it and will never understand it.

I have to admit i was a little bothered by it too....I was just hoping maybe the money they plan to get for this male calico is for their shelter to raise funds by charging a larger adoption fee
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

breellablue

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
394
Purraise
1
Location
Syracuse, NY
Originally Posted by Trillcat

I hate this thread.
Put money value on your cat, I hate it and will never understand it.
I just needed my mother in law to see other people agreeing with what I told her about him. He's been neutered and adopted out to a loving home.

SOME greedy grubby volunteer saw him at the clinic and flipped out, pulled him from the group and wouldn't let him get neutered that day, she called the person who brought him to our low cost clinic and put ideas in his head about the cat being worth something like 4k.

The foster is a physically disabled individual who only heard the "worth 4k" and started a whole hootspah about it.
 

Mary Salmon

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
2
Purraise
0
If he's not already a purebred cat, then he would go for what any moggy would. Even if he is a purebred cat, just about every male calico is sterile, because males can only be calico if he has a particular genetic abnormality. Its very rare that they are fertile.

In other words, male calicos aren't really worth more than any other cat, though of course all cats are priceless. ;-)
I have a confirmed male calico which is a great breeder. He has bred with many females and produced females that look just like him. I'm unsure if he had produced any other male calicos though.
 

donutte

Professional cat sitter extraordinaire!
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Messages
5,775
Purraise
2,554
Location
Northern suburbs of Chicago
I have a confirmed male calico which is a great breeder. He has bred with many females and produced females that look just like him. I'm unsure if he had produced any other male calicos though.
Why on earth would you breed a mixed-breed cat?? Calico is not a breed, and MOST male calicos are sterile.
 

Mary Salmon

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
2
Purraise
0
Why on earth would you breed a mixed-breed cat?? Calico is not a breed, and MOST male calicos are sterile.
I never said I bred him...he is an outside cat and some of our neighbors have female cats which have had his kittens. I was just stating that I have a fertile male calico cat. Most people say they are sterile, I guess my cat is more precious than I thought he was before. I would never breed or sell him.
 

abyeb

Charlie's Purrson
Veteran
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
7,565
Purraise
9,600
You should get him neutered. Whole male cats are more likely to spray, and are at risk for developing prostrate issues and tumors on the testicles. You would also be working to reduce pet overpopulation, especially with all the unspayed females in the area. If cost is an issue, we could help you find some low-cost spay and neuter clinics in your area.
 
Top